Addressing US and British troops as the US celebrated Independence Day yesterday, the Prime Minister praised the long military history the two countries have shared, serving and fighting side by side. He said:

We’re not here to create a perfect democracy, we’re not here to create a perfect country, but we are doing some great things here in Afghanistan in terms of their country, their schooling and everything else.

We’re really here to try to make sure that this country can look after its own security and can keep terrorists and terrorist training camps out of this country.

During his visit, the Prime Minister also commented on the search for the British serviceman who went missing in the early hours of yesterday morning and said his ‘thoughts all day have been with that young man and trying to help the military find him’.

Mr Cameron cancelled some of his activities so that the military could focus all their attention on searching for the serviceman. He said:

The reason for me not going to Lashkar Gah was not about my security. It was, literally, use everything you have got to try and deal with this.

Sadly, the serviceman, from 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, was later found dead.

The Prime Minister said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the death of the soldier.